Iraqi Refugees Research Articles

“YouTube helps us a lot.” Media repertoires and social integration of Iraqi and Syrian refugee families in Germany

Cet article examine les répertoires médiatiques de 10 familles de réfugiés syriens et 10 iraquiens (n=100) dans la ville d'Erlangen, en Allemagne. En nous fondant sur la théorie du répertoire médiatique (Hasebrink et Hepp 2017) et grâce à une approche qualitative combinant plusieurs méthodes de collecte de données (entretiens qualitatifs, groupes de discussion et dessins du répertoire médiatique), nous analysons comment les pratiques et dispositifs médiatiques cumulatifs des familles de réfugiés (répertoires médiatiques) sont reliés à leur intégration sociale et culturelle dans leur société d'accueil. Nos constatations indiquent que les répertoires des médias mettent en lumière diverses pratiques qui reflètent les efforts d'intégration des réfugiés dans leur société d'accueil. Les participants qui avaient surtout des réseaux et des répertoires centrés sur le domicile ont plus de mal à s'intégrer que ceux qui ont plus de contenu allemand et qui ont des réseaux basés dans la société d'accueil.

Creating a Diasporic Public Sphere in Britain: Twelver Shia Networks in London

ABSTRACTSince the 1980s, the Borough of Brent, in north-west London, has been a major global hub of transnational Twelver Shiism. With the influx of Iraqi refugees, many clerical leaders of Twelver Shia Islam established their European headquarters in Brent, and, in addition to Damascus and Tehran, London became a major centre of Iraqi diaspora politics during Saddam Hussein’s regime. The transnational networks and organizations based in Brent engage in an Islamic ‘transnational public space’, which Bowen defines as a globally operating discursive ‘field of Islamic reference and debate’. Based on ethnographic research in London, the article provides novel insights into the Twelver Shia Muslim organizational field in Britain and its engagement in ‘an alternative diasporic public sphere’ that articulates issues and contestations specific to Shia Muslims living in Britain: what does displacement and migration mean for Shia Muslims who have often escaped oppression, war and civil conflict; how do Shia Muslims in Britain define their relationship to Sunnis in the context of rising sectarianism in the post-Arab Spring Middle East; how do Shia Muslims position themselves towards Iran and its aspiration to be the political leader of global Shiism?

Understanding wellness and barriers to care among Iraqi refugee women in the United States.

Iraqi refugees in the US experience a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases. In this article, we explore how cultural and structural realities intersect to influence utilisation of preventative healthcare and cancer screening with the aim of understanding health disparities in this population. We conducted three focus group discussions with a total of 14 Iraqi refugee women living in a northeastern US city in 2016 and analysed the qualitative data using a thematic analysis. Eight themes emerged from our data: (a) 'prevention is better than cure:' Iraqi refugee women maintain wellness; (b) physical and mental health are interrelated in causing and curing ill-health; (c) Iraqi refugee women embrace both biomedical and other healing practices; (d) God contributes to healing; (e) cancer is caused by dangerous environments. Three of the eight themes related to barriers to care; (f) multi-level problems within hospitals and clinics prevent the delivery of care; (g) financial barriers prevent access to care and good health; (h) competing priorities are a barrier to good health. We argue that understanding refugee health requires critical analysis of both culturally informed understandings of health and illness as well as the structural aspects of health disparities that result in limited access to life opportunities, racism and inequality for refugees and their communities.

A "Worthy” Refugee: Cash as a Diagnostic of "Xeno-Racism" and "Bio-Legitimacy"

The refugee regime structure follows a “xeno-racist” colonial genealogy. In this context, refugee cash transfers represent a biopolitical diagnostic, indicating where refugees are worthy or have the “bio-legitimacy” to reside. This article offers a brief genealogy of different iterations of cash operations, which include cash for repatriation at the end of the Cold War, cash for urban Iraqi refugees in Jordan following the second Gulf War, and the Tanzania government’s recent decision to abruptly shut down a cash project in Nyarugusu refugee camp. Simply stated, where cash is allowed to flow, so too are refugees.

Learning from Our Patients: Training Psychiatry Residents in Refugee Mental Health.

Psychiatric residents are increasingly called upon to work cross-culturally, serving diverse populations including refugees. This study aims to (1) understand the training experience of psychiatry residents working with refugees and (2) assess the level of satisfaction of refugees, most of whom are Iraqi, who seek psychological treatment at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH)'s Refugee Mental Health Program of Colorado (RMHPC). Using qualitative methodology, over a 1-year period, independent evaluators interviewed a group of nine residents who chose to participate in an RMHPC elective and also interviewed ten Iraqi refugee patients who sought services at the clinic. Recordings of the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Emerging themes were identified for both resident and refugee patient interviews. Five major themes emerged summarizing residents' experiences: (1) adapting practices to meet refugee needs, (2) value of supervision, (3) cultural barriers, (4) need for extra resources, and (5) effect on future practice. Four major themes emerged summarizing Iraqi refugees' experiences: (1) reasons for seeking treatment, (2) barriers to treatment, (3) residents' knowledge of culture and needs, and (4) quality of treatment. This study's findings highlight the complexities of effectively treating refugee patients and suggest ideas for training residents. Additionally, they offer important frameworks for developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally responsive practices in the context of training psychiatry residents and other mental health professionals. An essential key to this process was giving voice to refugees who accessed and engaged our services.

Barriers to health care access and service utilization of refugees in Austria: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey

This paper provides evidence on (1) refugees’ subjective well-being, (2) their access and barriers to health care utilization and (3) their perception of health care provision in Austria, one of the countries most heavily affected by the European ‘refugee crisis.’ It is based on primary data from the Refugee Health and Integration Survey (ReHIS), a cross-sectional survey of roughly five hundred Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees. Results indicate that refugees’ self-rated health falls below the resident population’s, in particular for female and Afghan refugees. Whereas respondents state overall high satisfaction with the Austrian health system, two in ten male and four in ten female refugees report unmet health needs. Most frequently cited barriers include scheduling conflicts, long waiting lists, lack of knowledge about doctors, and language. Although treatment costs were not frequently considered as barriers, consultation of specialist medical services frequently associated with co-payment by patients, in particular dental care, are significantly less often consulted by refugees than by Austrians. Refugees reported comparably high utilization of hospital services, with daycare treatment more common than inpatient stays. We recommend to improve refugees’ access to health care in Austria by a) improving the information flow about available treatment, in particular specialists, b) fostering dental health care for refugees, and c) addressing language barriers by providing (web-based) interpretation services.

San Antonio refugees: Their demographics, healthcare profiles, and how to better serve them.

ObjectiveThe recent refugee crisis has resulted in the largest burden of displacement in history, with the US being the top resettlement country since 1975. Texas welcomed the second most US-bound refugees in 2016, with a large percentage arriving in San Antonio. Yet, the composition of the San Antonio refugees has not been described and their healthcare needs remain ill-defined. Through this study, we aim at elucidating their demographics and healthcare profiles, with the goal of devising recommendations to help guide refugee program development and guide other refugee resettlement programs.MethodsData from 731 charts belonging to 448 patients at the San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic (SARHC) were extracted and analyzed. Data included age, gender, country of origin, first language, interpretation need, health insurance status, medical history, vital signs, diagnoses, and prescribed medications.ResultsWomen constituted the majority of patients (n = 267; 56.4%), and the median age of all patients was 39 (Q1:26, Q3:52). Nepali-speaking Bhutanese patients were the most represented group (n = 107, 43.1%), followed by Iraqi (n = 35, 14.1%), Burmese (n = 30, 12.1%), and Iranian (n = 19, 7.7%) refugees. Of those who responded, 200 (86.6%) did not have any form of health insurance. Additionally, 262 (50.9%) had a body-mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range. Further, 61.4% (n = 337) had blood pressures in the hypertensive range, while 9.3% (n = 51) had an elevated blood pressure. On average, each patient had 1.9 complaints, with abdominal pain, headaches, and cough being the predominant complaints. Allergic rhinitis, viral upper respiratory infections, and elevated blood pressure were the most common diagnoses. However, the list of common diagnoses differed per country of origin.ConclusionThe SARHC demographics were different from those of other Texas refugees. The rate of the uninsured and the burden of non-communicable diseases were high. Furthermore, each refugee subgroup had a different set of common problems. These findings reveal important considerations for refugee healthcare providers and the unique approach that may be required for different communities.

Cultural Identity Confusion and Psychopathology: A Mixed-Methods Study Among Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the Netherlands.

Although there is ample empirical evidence that traumatic events, postmigration stress, and acculturation problems have a great impact on the mental health of refugees, so far no studies have included cultural identity after migration in the equation. This mixed-methods study conducted among Afghan and Iraqi refugee and asylum-seeker psychiatric patients aims to fill this gap. Associations between postmigration stress, symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder were significant. When differentiated for the two groups, associations with postmigration stress were no longer significant for Afghan patients, who were predominantly younger and more often single, lower educated, and without resident status compared with Iraqi patients. Qualitative results indicate that, in addition to psychopathology and postmigration stress, acculturation problems contribute to confusion of cultural identity. The findings suggest that reduction of postmigration stress and acculturation problems may clarify cultural identity and as such may contribute to posttraumatic recovery.

Health-Seeking Behavioral Patterns among Refugee Groups – A Case-Study in South-central Kentucky

Each year, thousands of people get displaced from their homes due to genocide, famine, civil wars and other crises in their countries. The United States has traditionally been receptive to resettling refugees. These refugees view resettlement as an opportunity to obtain proper health care. Due to the diverse cultural identities of refugee populations, it is essential to research complex culturally dependent healthcare utilization patterns. A purposeful sample of four refugees from the Burmese, Congolese and Iraqi refugee communities in south-central Kentucky- completed interviews. They shared experiences and insights from their cultural points of view. Results showed demographic factors directly impacted access through nationality and language, while social factors and beliefs impacted access through religion, acculturation, health insurance, transportation and the level of cultural competency of a health care facility/provider. These findings would contribute to the popular health and policy-making debates that surround the well-being of this culturally diverse population.

An Iraqi Refugee in the Australian Suburb in Ben Eltham’s The Pacific Solution

Ben Eltham’s The Pacific Solution (2013) deals with several issues such as nationalism, political intimidation, racism and stereotyping of Muslims. It critiques the Howard government’s hard-line policy with Asylum seekers and its amendment of the migration act, known as the ‘Pacific Solution’, which excludes offshore islands from Australia’s migration zone and undermines thereby refugees’ attempts to seek better chances of life. This is portrayed on stage through the reaction of three white Australian housemates to the arrival at their front door of an Iraqi refugee to apply for asylum. In this paper, I investigate the representation of cultural diversity in the play and argue that it is a critique of dysfunctional models of inclusion where persons from minor cultures are marginalised in the Australian national and social spaces. In so doing, I consider some of the concepts discussed in Ghassan Hage’s White Nation: Fantasies of White Supremacy in a Multicultural Society (2000), namely those of managerial capacity, tolerance, and the dialectic of inclusion and exclusion. In addition to critiquing the dysfunctional models of including Muslim refugees, the play examines their representation in the mainstream media and their treatment by the legal process in Australia. To explore the impact of this on Muslim refugees’ alienation and marginalisation, I investigate studies of the representation of Muslims in the Australian mass media and their relevance to the stereotyping of Muslims as terrorists in the play. Drawing on the above, I argue that, through this play, Eltham criticised the Howard government’s inhumane treatment of Asylum seekers and its dissemination of Australian norms as aligning with its premises.

Psychological Burden in Female, Iraqi Refugees Who Suffered Extreme Violence by the "Islamic State": The Perspective of Care Providers.

Introduction: A large number of refugees suffer from mental disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the context of a special quota project, 1100 Yazidi women from Northern Iraq who had suffered extreme violence by the so-called Islamic State (IS) were brought to Germany to receive specialized treatment. This study aims to investigate the psychological burden and trauma-related symptoms of these female IS-victims from the perspectives of their care providers.Material and methods: Care providers with various professional backgrounds (N = 96) were asked to complete a self-developed questionnaire on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (very low) to 7 (very high) analyzing the psychological burden and trauma-related symptoms of the IS-traumatized women since their arrival in Germany. We controlled for potential confounders, namely the care providers' personal experiences of trauma and flight, by using chi-square tests.Results: The mean psychological burden for the whole period in Germany as perceived by care providers was M = 5.51 (SD = 0.94). As the main factors of distress the care providers reported: worries about family members in Iraq (M = 6.69; SD = 0.69), worries about relatives' possibilities to be granted asylum in Germany (M = 6.62; SD = 0.68), and uncertainties regarding their future (M = 5.89; SD = 1.02). The most prominent trauma-related psychological symptoms were nightmares (M = 6.43; SD = 0.54). The care providers reported that somatic complaints have been present among the refugees in the following manifestation: pain (M = 6.24; SD = 1.08), gastrointestinal complaints (M = 4.62; SD = 1.62), and dizziness (M = 4.40; SD = 1.59). The care providers' personal experiences of trauma and flight had no significant influence on their response behavior.Discussion: Care providers working with IS-traumatized female refugees evaluate the psychological burden and trauma-related somatic and psychological symptom loads of their clients as very high. The results of this study provide important information about the perceptions of care providers working in a refugee-services context and may provide insights for the progression of specialized treatment programs and interventions for highly traumatized refugees and culture-sensitive training programs for their care providers.

REFUGEE MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALING: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF POLICIES OF RAPID ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MEANINGFUL WORK.

Although refugees who are accepted for resettlement in a third country are guaranteed certain rights and experience safety from war and persecution, they face many mental health challenges. Using qualitative methods and constructivist grounded theory, we explored culturally-specific perspectives on trauma and recovery among Burundian, Congolese and Iraqi refugees resettled in the United States. Eighteen semi-structured interviews provided extensive data on the meaning of productivity and work, the ways in which they index normalcy and self-sufficiency, and how they create security that facilitates the healing process. Our inductive analyses revealed that participants emphasized the relationship between productivity and healing when they described recovery from trauma. Participants also discussed individual and structural facilitators and barriers to work. Finally, prominent themes emerged around gendered roles and expectations and the ways these function in refugee resettlement contexts that are shaped by policies that demand rapid economic self-sufficiency. Taken together, these findings suggest that policies that promote underemployment and foreclose opportunities for education and professional development may contribute negatively to refugee mental health, as well as keep refugees in poverty.

ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF IRAQI REFUGEES IN SLOVAKIA

This paper deals with the analysis of a level of quantitative and qualitative indicators in the area of economic integration of the Iraqi refugees in the conditions of the Slovak Republic. The aim of this article is to better identify the integration process and to analyze the current results achieved in the area of economic integration of refugees.The research method is a semi-structured interview with the management of the organization and with the staff responsible for the integration of Iraqi refugees in Nitra and its surroundings. Data collection was based on the Structure of indicators of integration of immigrants into society, from the perspective of the selected indicators of economic integration. The data obtained reflects the objective and subjective perspective of the monitoring. They provide data on the number of economically active refugees in the labor market, on the possibility of recognizing their original qualification, the unemployment rate as well as the most common problems related to the employment of Iraqis.The results point to the importance of successful economic integration in relation to the overall success of the integration process. Financial security and job opportunities can be a motivation for Iraqi refugees to continue their efforts to successfully integrate into our society.

A Localized Home-based Health Care Delivery Model for Refugees in Jordan

Interprofessional teams delivering home-based care hold promise as an effective model for vulnerable populations, but examples of good practice are limited. This case study presents the initial evaluation of a contextualized application of home-based medical care initiated from the faith community in Jordan toward Syrian and Iraqi refugees with constrained access to resources.
 Reflexive responses to human need by local churches became the basis for home-based medical outreach. Heavily dependent on volunteers, these church-based teams are selected and trained to meet specific needs, inter-professional partnerships were created through networking, and electronic medical records are deployed to facilitate communication and follow-up.
 The program’s standards of operation are delineated, and a program description is explained which clarifies volunteer selection, training, faith inspiration, communication, continuity, inter-professional partnerships, and addresses obstacles of care. Based on subjective collective observations of team members, the advantages of the model in practice are reported, along with lessons learned. These include dignity promotion, contextualization of health in the home, relationship development, inter-faith communication, inter-professional partnerships created through networking with local health professionals of other faiths, and other NGOs. Limitations of the model, and potential application in other contexts concludes the case study.

An enchanted ring and a Dung Beetle: contaminated borders in Hassan Blasim’s nightmarish narratives

ABSTRACTI analyze Iraqi author Hassan Blasim’s “The Nightmares of Carlos Fuentes” and “The Dung Beetle,” two short stories that are centrally concerned with the border crossing experiences of Iraqi immigrants and refugees residing in Europe. In both stories, Blasim’s protagonists try to suppress past trauma and forge new identities rooted solely in the present. And yet their trauma resurfaces in the space of dreams and in the narrative itself, manifesting itself as literary madness. I employ the term “contamination” to describe how the experience of border crossing leaves its mark, altering the body, mind, identity, and narrative of the border crosser. Intentionally referencing the racism, xenophobia, and religious bigotry that inform the myth of national purity and its perceived defilement by border crossers, “contamination” is inherent to the creation of so-called “diaspora spaces,” where multiple subjectivities intersect and, however contentiously, co-exist.

Leading refugee lives together: Familial agency as a political capacity

Family life is constituted by affective relationships and emotional bonds between individuals connected through kinship, yet in many cases involving people from beyond the lineal descent group as well. In precarious migratory processes and situations, the significance of these relations often grows. Even if put under increased pressure, they encompass important resources that individuals alone could not possess. Then again, for some people certain familial relations are part of the problematized life situation, challenging rather than reinforcing their personal agency. This paper explores political dimensions of refugee agency and discusses how mundane familial political agency is acquired and practiced in refugee situations. Specifically, analyzed are intimate relationships as unfolding in some young male refugees' transnational lives, as personal and shared experiences and practices. The paper takes notice of conflicted familial relations, too, to create a better understanding about the manifoldness of intergenerational political agencies. Drawing from interviews with Iraqi, Afghan and Somali refugees, it demonstrates how familial agency is irreducible to the personal agencies of family members yet does not exist beyond subjective stances. In conclusion, the paper proposes that familial mundane politics remain poorly noticed in refugee situations, which harmfully effects on the humanitarian aid system as well as refugee lives.

Gender Differences in Depression Levels at Refugee Camps in Duhok City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The difficult conditions and threats that refugees face are making a great possibility for destroying their health physically and mentally. Refugees are at risk for psychiatric morbidity, yet little is known about their serious mental health disorders such as depression. National and international studies about Iraqi refugees still not enough to understand their serious problems in everyday life in the refugee camps and the future consequences of their physical and psychological conditions. Studying the depression levels among refugees of ISIS war and comparing the severity of depression between adult males and females was to be the aim of the study. Method: A comparative study design, with a purposive sampling of total (68) adult participants, (31 males and 37 females) in the refugee camps in Duhok city, Kurdistan Region of Iraq from September, 2016 to October, 2017 and a depression questionnaire for data collection process have been used. Results: little differences between males and females levels and the severity of depression were revealed. The mild level was higher in females (57.14) percent compared with males (42.85) percent, but males have reported higher results in moderate level (53.57) percent compared to females (46.42) percent. The big difference in the sever level of depression was (80.0) percent for females compared with only (20.0) percent for males. Recommendations: psychological first aid and interventions are required for the refugees especially for the members whom lost family member(s), property, job and body parts during the war.

Refugee Policy as Foreign Policy: Iraqi and Afghan Refugee Resettlements to the United States

Refugee Policy as Foreign Policy: Iraqi and Afghan Refugee Resettlements to the United States

Educational gaps and their impact on Iraqi refugee students’ secondary schooling in the Greater Detroit, Michigan Area

In this piece we examine educational gaps among Iraqi refugee students while living in Iraq and while in transitional countries, challenges resulting from those educational gaps since they have arrived in the United States, and Iraqi students’ needs to overcome their challenges for school adjustment. Thirty Chaldean Iraqi refugees who attended various high schools in the greater Detroit area, their parents, and their teachers participated in interviews and focus groups. Educational gaps in Iraq are due to precarious conditions involved in access to schooling, and threats and dangers experienced as Chaldean religious minorities. Gaps in transitional countries are due to lack of access to schooling due to residency restrictions, discriminatory treatment, and financial difficulties. Iraqi students are highly anxious about academic failure and their ability to obtain a high school diploma. We recommend educational policies and practices that might best address the serious problem of educational gaps.

The gap between here and there: Communication and information processes in the migration context of Syrian and Iraqi refugees on their way to Germany

Set against the background of the so-called refugee crisis in Germany in 2015/16, this article asks about the subjective value that refugees give different sources of information and examines whether they were making informed decisions during the various stages of their transit. Between November 2015 and April 2016, four focus groups and 36 in-depth interviews were conducted with Syrian and Iraqi refugees, as well as interviews with Iraqi experts in the media and civil society sectors, based on the theoretical concepts of network and broadcast feedback developed by Bakewell and Jolivet. The results show that, unlike the mass media, personal network and narrowcast feedback were the most important sources of information for the study's participants. While most of the interviewees felt adequately informed both before and during their transit, it was mainly after the refugees arrived in Germany that they experienced a deficit of information.